It is known to provide containment loops at the forward and rearward ends of drive shafts in motor vehicles to retain the ends of the drive shafts in the event of failure or breakage of a universal joint. The NHRA (National Hot Rod Association), in particular, mandates the use of both front and rearward driveshaft containment loops in several classes of vehicles used for quarter mile drag racing. A wide variety of designs of such loops are currently available. In particular, those manufactured or sold by Scribner Welding and Distributing, Mark Williams Enterprises and Jerry Bickel Race cars, Inc, take the form of loops mounted to and completely supported by the forward portion of the differential housing or carrier (the terms are used interchangeably herein). These devices are also known as “rearward driveshaft enclosures”.
Such devices typically comprise a ring-shaped flange attached to the front of the rearward differential housing at several points around its circumference. In some designs, the device includes a tubular shield extending forward of the differential housing and surrounding the adjacent universal joint. A containment loop is typically provided located somewhat forward of the universal joint, at the forward end of the tubular shield (if provided). The loop may be coupled to the flange by means of a set of tubes extending rearward to the flange. Alternatively, the flange may be provided with forward extending projections which are coupled to the side of the tubular housing or the tubular housing may be provided with a second flange at its rearward end, coupled to the flange on the driveshaft housing. These designs generally employ multiple separate connector mechanisms associated with various attachment points located spaced around the circumference of the flange attached to the driveshaft housing.